Swimmer Jessica Long made a serious splash at her Paralympic debut at the 2004 Athens games, winning three gold medals at the age of 12. Today, the 32-year-old will compete in her sixth Paralympic Games in Paris with 29 medals under her belt, making her one of the most decorated and high-profile Paralympians to date.
Long is also a speaker, author (of a children’s book and the new Beyond The Surface: A Gold Medalist’s Guide To Finding And Loving Yourself), and has appeared in national ad campaigns for the likes of Therabody and Skims. During the 2021 Superbowl, Toyota aired a moving (read: sob-inducing) ad that tells the story of Long’s adoption from Siberia, double amputation of her lower legs, and journey to becoming a swimmer. She doesn’t take the visibility lightly.
“I want the Paralympics swimming movement to grow even more than it has, and I keep thinking, if not me, then who else will push the movement forward?” Long says.
“I keep thinking, if not me, then who else will push the movement forward?”
Specifically, she wants more primetime airtime for the Paralympics, increased stipends, and for the Team USA Paralympic trials to be held alongside Olympic trials. She recognizes the gains Paralympians have achieved lately, including massive sponsorships as well as getting equal pay for medals to Olympic athletes (a change as of the Tokyo Olympics), but still feels the Paralympic games and athletes have a ways to go to get the recognition they deserve.
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“That’s kind of been my hope since I was a little girl, that people know what the Paralympics are,” Long says. “The word ‘para’ means ‘parallel’ to the Olympic Games. We’re alongside the Olympics, and it’s some of the most amazing and incredible stories and fights. I don’t think there’s anyone who would not fall in love with the Paralympics.”
Fighting for visibility is no small feat, and to help achieve that aim for herself and future generations, Long knows she has to be vocal on the world stage—and in the pool as a competitor, too. What enables her to do it all?
“My wellness piece is my secret weapon,” Long says. “I can train, we’re all swimming, but what are we doing outside of the pool that matters?”
1. She prioritizes muscle recovery
In the mid 2010s, Long was worried she was not going to be able to continue training with the intensity she needed because the muscle strain on her upper body was too great.
“As an amputee, I’m only using my arms,” Long says. She felt her “only hope” to continue pushing was to try out the percussive massaging device Theragun. Sure enough, she was signed to one of their original ad campaigns, and her endorsement was personal.
“Theragun and Therabody have actually been life changing,” Long says. “I would not still be here if it wasn’t for [the Theragun].”
2. She loves magnesium for sleep
Long calls herself a “magnesium girl,” appreciating how she feels magnesium supplements affect the quality of her sleep. “Whenever I take magnesium, it’s probably the deepest sleep I have,” Long says. “I notice such a difference.”
Taking magnesium for sleep can help promote relaxation. The nutrient can help calm the central nervous system, which can lead to falling asleep faster and a higher quality of sleep. Long takes a Usana supplement (Usana is one of her sponsors), but you can also find magnesium in abundance in foods like avocado, leafy greens, nuts, and seeds.
3. She goes on “me dates”
When it comes to mental rejuvenation, long likes to treat herself with the things she really enjoys, on what she calls “me dates.”
“I love taking my Epsom salt baths, my everything showers, just to spend some time on myself,” Long says. “It’s maybe me getting coffee after training or getting my nails done or going shopping or just getting some fun makeup at Sephora. I love makeup. It’s about taking care of myself mentally, but also just investing time in myself, is probably the best way to describe [me dates].”
Putting on makeup, coffee, reading, and shopping are often on the “me date” agenda, but Long says the activities can vary. Still, the intention of spending time with herself doing the things she really enjoys remains the same. And, it turns out, moving gently outside of the pool is part of what lets her go so fast inside of it.
“Life moves at such a fast pace, but every once in a while I realize like, ‘Oh my gosh, slow down,’” Long says. “You have to take care of yourself first before you can give to others.”
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